


A Pandaemonic Hallowe'en

by Pikablukachu



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Creepy, Family, Fluff, Gen, Halloween, Mild Horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:43:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27314998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pikablukachu/pseuds/Pikablukachu
Summary: Pandaemonium Castle has some pretty unique All Hallows' Eve traditions, but it wasn't until a certain year that Yumeko truly realised what some of Makai's demonic residents were capable of.A Halloween one-shot set in the same canon as "My Mother" (spoiler-free!)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	A Pandaemonic Hallowe'en

All Hallows’ Evening. 

A peculiar day in which the demons are restless. A day in which even your next-door neighbours could unexpectedly take on strange shapes and mannerisms! 

Even my Lady isn’t quite sure of _where_ this phenomenon comes from. Apparently it’s only gotten worse since she begun to oversee this realm too; as if some outside force is leaking ideas into our world on the same night each and every year.

Thus, throughout the early-autumns, I often find myself... preparing... 

For battle. 

“There, did you hear that!?” 

“Mhm!” 

“... Stay behind me, Alice.” 

“Okayyy!” 

I held my hand over a sheath at my waist. My wrist itched to draw it... but I remained patient. 

“I _know_ you’re there! I can hear you!” 

I crept around the corridor's corner, more silent than a leaf on the wind, the castle’s hallways not baring even the slightest creak under my plimsoles. 

_*CLASH*_

The crash of thunder rumbled through the dark halls as lightning cast a great, imposing shadow before our eyes; the horrific silhouette waiting for us! 

I instinctively rushed a hand to protectively hover over tiny Alice’s head. She was pouting at me, she must have been frightened. Fear not, dear sister! This time... this time, after all these years, surely, I would win...!! 

I wiggled my fingers dexterously about the hilt of my sword... My stance was flawless, not a single opening could be found...! I calculated the window that great shadow must have been cast from, and begun an approach befitting of the Lady’s _strongest creation!!_

… Hm? Hold on a minute, that silhouette doesn’t have wings does it- 

“... **BOO!** ” 

A couple of hands grabbed my shoulders from behind. 

_“GYAAAAAH!!!”_ **** I yelled out in shock!! 

**_“NOOOOOOO!!!!”_ ** I yelled again!! In frustration!!

My posture slumped. My hand, its itch fizzling out, dropped to my side. My blade would not taste blood this night. 

No... No...! The battle I had prepared for all month... 

“Oh look at you, Alice! You didn’t get scared at all!” 

“Noope!” 

The battle to... outspook my Lady... 

I had... _lost. Again._

“Ugh, MOM!” I scowled. 

She gasped. “Gasssssp! Did you just-? I wish you would call me ‘mom’ more often.” 

“LADY SHINKI,” I corrected myself. 

Whoops, I scowled harder. Alice had already been scooped up into mom’s- uh, Lady Shinki’s arms. Even though Lady Shinki was wearing such an absurd flashy mage-like robe and an oversized pumpkin-themed helm obscured her face, little Alice was still giggling and enjoying the Lady’s hair ruffles and cheek raspberries. Did Alice have no shame!? How could she accept defeat so easily!? RRGH. 

“Yumeko, dear,” Shinki addressed me. I paused my pouting for just a moment to edge my eyes up to meet hers. 

“Yeah...?” I mumbled. 

“Did you really not think to look for my wings? You mistook one of the other maids for me... honestly now!” 

“W-well that’s because!” I was prepared to argue, my comprehensive list of excuses already perfectly formed in my head. “Last year your costume obscured your wings so I forgot! And also that maid is the same height as you, plus the window was the same side of the castle as your chambers and I was busy looking cool for Alice so I didn’t really... think it through much...?” 

Those excuses sounded much better in my head. 

Lady Shinki sidled up to me and hugged my shoulder into her side. With a pomf, I wrapped my arms around her and buried my face in her dress. She stroked my hair gently and I hugged a little tighter... 

“All Hallows’ Eve is dumb...” I mumbled. 

“Because your mean old mother scared you when you were very little?” Lady Shinki said, her voice falling even gentler. “I thought my goofy dragon costume that year was so cute, and yet it still haunts you... I’m so sorry, sweetie.” 

“Nothing about All Hallows’ Eve scares me anymore! This is just payback!!” I argued. It was true, the Lady’s dorky, flashy outfits just didn’t have the mental impact they somehow had on me when I was a little kid with a huge imagination, but I was still mad about back then! 

“Winning against you through jumpscares always feels a little cheap, but I’m afraid I’m just not all that scary a person in the end!” Lady Shinki chuckled... so innocently! 

Admittedly she was right. I did feel a little... pettier, than I had this time last year. All this time I've wanted payback for what happened when I was little, but Lady Shinki really wasn’t that scary at all. 

I felt especially petty seeing Alice like... you know. 

A bundle of happy smiley sunshine. 

“Alice is having such a wonderful time,” Shinki hummed, cuddling the little giggling bundle of light in her arms. “You don’t have to try and outspook the God of Makai every year, Yumeko sweetie. Why don’t you two find some candy in the castle together and then go play in Alice’s room instead?” 

Alice spun her head towards me, “YUMEKOOO! PLEEEASE!?” she asked in that impossibly cute voice of hers. Her eyes practically twinkled; how could I say no to that!? 

Besides it... did sound pretty fun. Alice was much better at walking and talking than she was a year ago, after all. Hanging out with Alice, eating sweets with her, we could listen to spooky stories or music on the radio, or play a simple board game together... maybe we could even stay up way past bedtime... 

“... All right, I accept.” 

“I love you, Yumekoo!!” Alice squealed in delight. She hopped down from Lady Shinki’s arms and crashed me into a hug wearing her adorable fluffy outfit with long ears. It was all I could manage to hold my bearings and not topple over! 

“You _are_ the best, sweetie,” Shinki beamed at me. “If you’re looking after Alice for me, I can look after the other guests.” 

So basically... looking after Alice was an important job? That only I could do? 

“Why didn’t you say so!?” I beamed, clenching my fists excitedly before taking Alice’s hand and taking off down the hallway at a run as she giggled behind me. 

I turned to see Lady Shinki waving happily and chuckling adoringly at both of us, and we waved back. Trust Lady Shinki to have the best ideas! 

Within a few hours, I had successfully secured an absolute airshipload of candy. 

The castle’s residents and guests were all so weak-willed! I simply brandished my sword, gave them a wicked glance, and demanded treats! They would almost all respond with something like “You and your sister’s outfits are so darling tonight! Here, have as much as you like!” and fill up our buckets and pockets with chocolates and gummies and fruits and all the sweets we could think of. 

My outfit was the same as ever, a red dress with a white headdress befitting of the castle's ultimate maid, but Alice was dressed like a white rabbit today. Maybe they were just talking about her. 

After our long walks around the fortress hallways, we finally returned to Alice’s quarters. She seemed really tuckered out from walking so much, though I did piggy-back her half the way. Either way, as a special treat I picked her up in my arms and swung and flung her onto her huge, plush bed. 

She giggled and screamed happily as she fell and bounced onto the bed. She always loved when I did that. 

I climbed up onto the bed with her, and we spread out our candy collections. Alice liked chocolates and toffees the most, so I gave her all of mine. Then she asked me to put on “scary stories” on the radio, so I got up and started tuning for weird radio stations. 

There were sometimes aliens or monsters floating aimlessly deep within the endless abysses of Pandaemonium. People mom hadn’t found homes for yet. Sometimes we’d pick up their frequencies on the radio. They were super fun to listen to. 

Beyond a little excited chatter about an interesting candy we had picked up, or surprise at some of the weird sounds on the radio, Alice and I were content just quietly sitting or lying on her bed eating candy.

I laid on my front, kicking my legs back and forth while I read a book with my right hand and plucked candies from wrappers with my left. Alice kept trying to read, she _loved_ reading, but I could tell she was too sleepy. 

... That’s when... the radio, it... started behaving strangely? 

Kzzt, ksssht, it went. _“... Are you_ _kzzzzt this is a good idea?” “Yes, it’ll KSSHT fun!” “I don’t know, I don’t know...”_

It sounded like it was picking up on someone’s private conversation. So rude! “Flipping signal, it was working just fine a moment ago!” I said, hopping up from the bed to give the radio a whack. 

Whack, whack, whack. Kssht. Kssht... _Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep_. 

“Gaah!” I rushed my hands to cover my ears. What an annoying sound! I fiddled with the radio tuning, but no matter how much I twisted it, the noise remained the same. 

“Is it busted?” I pouted, before a flash of light in the room followed by the loud rumbling of thunder made me jump. _“AAH!”_

And then, the lights went out. 

“Geeeez,” I mumbled, it was like one thing after another. The room was pitch dark now. I felt to the wall, trying to find a switch for the lamp... no good, it wasn’t working. The power was out.

“So much for Makai City having the most advanced technology in all of Makai...” I scoffed. How annoying, I wouldn’t be able to finish my book now! 

_*CLASH*,_ another flash of light followed by a strike of thunder admittedly made me jump. Lightning was even more shocking when the room was pitch-dark like this. 

“Alice? Are you okay?” I asked.

She didn’t respond; she must have fallen asleep. 

… So, I supposed I might as well return to my chambers for the night. 

I tried to turn off the radio, which was still beeping loudly. Come to think of it, while I had been lost in thought the beeping had started to sound more like... screaming. Was it just my imagination? Maybe because of the static in the noise? Either way, it was actually pretty creepy. 

… Okay, the radio wasn’t turning off. Weird. 

I unplugged the radio from the power. It still screamed. 

Actually, how was it still making noise when the power was out to begin with? Whatever, I’d take it back to my room and deal with it there. I picked the screaming radio from its cabinet and secured it firmly under my arms, then felt my way towards the door of the room. I grabbed the handle, turned, and... 

Tug. Tug tug. Tug tug _tug._

It... wasn’t opening? 

“Lady Shinki? Did you lock the door?” I shouted out the room. No response, I tried pulling, pushing on the door. I put the radio on the ground and rattled the door with all my might, but it just wasn’t budging. 

…. *CLASH, **CLASHHHH** * the thunder made me leap a few feet back. This time, there was no lightning accompanying it, wh- 

“A-AAH!” I yelped, flinching and shielding my eyes. The lightning had followed the thunder instead, the light was so bright that it felt almost blinding! Why did that flash feel so close to the window? 

Eventually the light dissipated, but I was growing concerned. Lightning that followed thunder wasn’t unheard of in Makai, but I started to wonder if All Hallows’ Eve could make even the castle turn into a dangerous place? Would we be safe? Would _mom_ be safe? She was probably in the great hall with all those demons as guests! What if they turned on her and tried to attack her? Her strongest creation wouldn’t be there to help-!! 

I thought I had better grab Alice and take her to mom as soon as possible. 

The radio’s screeching stuttered, regularly pausing with blanks, until it sounded more like giggles. The radio screamed high-pitched giggles at me, as if taunting me. 

Then... it fell silent. 

For the first time in a good few minutes, there was finally silence. Pitch dark, and silence. I could only hear the rain patter against the window panes and my plimsoles clack against the cool wooden flooring. 

I tried the door again, but it still wouldn’t open. Dammit. 

Either way, I quickly hopped onto the bed to wake Alice. It was dark but I could just about make out her little body. “Alice, wake up!” I gave her a shake. I shook her again. “Alice, the castle is under attack, we have to go!” 

But she was so still. 

Was it normal for Alice to be this still when she slept? She hadn’t choked on a candy or something, had she!? 

“Alice? Alice are you okay!?” I shook her again. 

Well... Lady Shinki prefers if I don’t use magic unless I need to, but... this definitely felt like an emergency! 

So with a click of my fingers, a small flame bubbled up and ignited above my hand. 

Then, I held it to Alice’s face, and- 

“ **EEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHH!!** ” 

I screamed. What I saw was so viscerally discomforting that I jumped back.

Alice’s face... w-was... 

Carefully casting the light over my sister’s face again, I held a hand to my mouth in disgust. 

Alice’s face was gone. 

Alice’s _face_ was _gone._

No eyes, no nose, no mouth, no pink in her cheeks. It was as if a mannequin or doll had taken her place.

I whimpered, hand clutched at my stomach. I felt sick with distress at the uncanny sight. That was my sister! My _sister!_ What had happened to her...!?

“Alice I know you like dolls b-but this is a sick joke!” I stammered in panic. "N-now isn't the time for this!"

_“Oh.. dear, she.. kshht.. supposed to use magic...?”_

I span around to look for the voice, but the radio had just fuzzed back to life. 

_“... late now, stick t.... plan.”_

_“Ohhhh...hhh but..!!”_

_“KSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhh......”_

The sound of radio static filled the room once again. 

My heart was racing. Was someone plotting to do something to Alice!? Please... please not Alice... not my little sister... please...!!

I turned my light back towards Alice and- 

_**“A-AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!”** _

There was a single, huge eyeball, encompassing Alice's face. Wh-where Alice's face should be, where her cute soft skin should be, there was only an eyeball!!

It blinked. It blinked sideways. It blinked again quickly, from both directions, like It had two sets of eyelids. It pulsated and trembled in Alice's head, i-it almost appeared like it was on _fire!_ This was _not_ a doll! 

_“Be not afraid,”_ came an unfamiliar voice from Alice’s face. 

“Wh-what are you doing to my sister!?” I leapt to my feet on the bed and immediately drew my sword. “Get **away** from her!!” 

_“Be not afraid,”_ the eerie voice repeated, echoing around Alice's room. _“Let us in, offer unto us, and we shall release the curse.”_

“Let you in? But the door-” 

***CLASSHH*** , the light and sound of lightning and thunder struck at the same time, casting a horrific, mangled amalgam of a silhouette throughout the room, making me tumble from the bed to the ground in shock. 

“Wh-WHO ARE YOU!?” I yelled, my trembling arm clutching my sword. 

That was when... as I edged towards the window... that’s when I finally saw... _i_ _t._

A great, glowing orb, hanging colossal in the sky. 

Four golden wheels plastered with dozens, hundreds of flaming eyes, blinking, dripping, pulsing, spinning around the horrible creature. Six great white wings as still and dead as night despite the horrific chaos of the thing it held. It wielded a mighty staff that shone bright enough to utterly obscure Makai's brilliant ocean of stars. 

_“Be͟ n͡ot ͟҉ą̕f͢r̨͟a͝͝i̧̧d͜͠.͝”_ the thing asked, speaking from behind me through poor Alice’s face. 

“WHO **ARE YOU!?** ” I yelled, thrusting my sword at the window. 

_“Grant us entrance, offer us treats, and the trick shall be broken,”_ it asked. 

_‘Alice... Alice... mom...’_ I repeated in my head. _‘Wh-what do I do...!?’_

As I stared out the window in terror, the horrible thing drew ever closer... until it was just beyond the panes. I tried to keep myself calm, but I couldn't stop shaking.

What if... it was going to... take Alice...

Its gaze effortlessly pierced my body with its thousands of twisting eyes, each and every one so unique and alive in their undulating emptiness, as if they had been stolen from different creatures from all across creation, flames so captivating that I daren’t look away. 

I clenched my teeth. I steadied my blade. I trembled. I trembled harder, my sword visibly shuddering, my knees felt like they could give way any moment, _I couldn't stop shaking._

 _“O-oh dear...”_ the thing stammered, its voice booming through Alice’s tiny body, the entire room, entire castle shaking with its dreadful might. 

_“Erm... Trick or treat?”_

… My legs bolted from the window in panic. It was after Alice, it was going to take Alice away, that was the only possible explanation! 

I ran straight to the door, my foot snagged on the rug. “A-AH!” I tripped onto the radio, my arm thunking loudly onto it and hurting my funny bone. “L-Lady Shinki!” I called out beyond the door. I dropped my sword and grabbed my stinging arm, then crawled to my feet. “Lady Shinki!!” I yelled, banging my fist on the door. 

“Mom! MOOM!!” I smacked the door, “MOM HELP, THEY’RE GOING TO TAKE ALICE! **MOM**!! **MOTHER!!** " I continued to hit the door as hard as I could, praying that someone, ANYONE would hear. 

_“H-honey, I really don’t want to do this anymore-”_ came the horrible voice from Alice’s face. _“Going this far is just too cruel-”_

“Oh come ooon!” came the other voice from the radio. “It’s just a little scare! We’re just having fun!” 

Actually, it sounded almost like it was coming from the other side of the... door?

“...akuuREEEEEEE **EEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIII** **!!** ” 

***SMASHHHHHHHHHHH***

“W-WAH!” 

I leapt backwards as Alice’s doors flung open, and a woman’s body was sent hurtling across the room...

… Riiiiight across the room, her head eventually coming to a painful halt when it smacked right against the window pane. 

There, in the doorway, fist outstretched as if she’d just decked someone in the face, was... 

“MOM!” 

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, scurrying right into Lady Shinki’s arms. She hoisted me up into her arm and held me tightly, and I buried my face in her neck. 

“Mom, mom, A-Alice, Alice is-” I stammered and stuttered as my eyes adjusted to the light from the hallway. 

“Yumeko sweetie, sweetie, shhh shh shh... Alice is fine, sweetie...” mom reassured me. She pecked my head, she stroked my hair. “Are you all right? Were you scared?” 

I nodded. I shook my head. I wiped my eyes, ignoring the damp patches on my sleeves and the drips on my fingers. “I-I’m okay. It wasn’t scary. I-it was rude.” 

“You’re darn right it was,” Lady Shinki sighed. Then, she stepped into Alice’s room, still carrying me in her arm. 

With a click of her free hand, the lights in the room flickered back to life and the radio finally fell silent. Lady Shinki sat at the side of Alice’s bed and brought a hand to stroke at my sister’s hair. 

She snorted in her sleep, a big goofy grin on her face. She was sleeping so peacefully, despite all that just happened. 

Wait. I shot my eyes towards the window; what DID just happen? 

The... thing, in the window, now appeared to be a woman. She was wearing long, white robes, fastened over her shoulder, and her iridescent light-blue hair was adorned with a laurel wreath.

And she was hunched forward, pouting, her six great wings suspending a pretty pathetic posture in the air. 

After placing me comfortably next to Alice on her bed, Lady Shinki made her way over to the window and opened it. Then, she picked the woman she punched up by the scruff of her top, and the two women kneeled on the floor before her. 

“... Start explaining,” mom said. She looked really cool... Lady Shinki is the best. 

“Trick or treaaat?” said the woman mom had punched. She had jet black hair and was wearing a tall, pointy blue hat with a star on it. She wore blue and white robes with a yellow ribbon at the front. She looked familiar though. 

“Lady Shinki, I’m so very, very sorry,” the woman in white bowed her head profusely. “She insisted, she reassured me that Yumeko was really good at handling scares and had ‘probably seen angels before’, she said this was just going to be like a normal trick-or-treat prank for her-” 

“I believe you, Sariel,” Lady Shinki said. “Though I still wonder what on Makai you see in this shrine maiden.” 

Sariel... that was the angel who lived in a region outside Makai City, right? I had no idea angels could look so terrify- uh, weird... 

Lady Shinki batted the woman with the tall hat on the head again, and she exclaimed “YOWCH!” 

“You’re a terrible influence, Hakurei,” Lady Shinki sighed. “Getting poor Sariel wrapped up in your troublemaking. Don’t you think you’re taking advantage of how much she enjoys spending time with you?” 

… Hakurei. That was Hakurei? The shrine maiden from another world who came to Makai to fight demons all the time? I’d met her before, but I never fully understood why Lady Shinki had mixed feelings on her until now. 

“Huuuuuu...” the Hakurei woman moaned guiltily, drawing lines on the ground and hanging her head. She bowed, but it was a far lazier bow than the bow Sariel had made. 

“What made you think you could get away with using my Alice’s body for your tricks? I have half a mind to banish you from Makai City completely.” 

Hakurei looked to Sariel for help. Sariel scrunched her face and looked away, and Hakurei’s posture flopped, almost heartbroken. 

“I-in my defence!” Hakurei piped up, looking up at Shinki, “I didn’t know Yumeko had light magic! So I just assumed Sariel would be able to occupy and talk through Alice while she was asleep without like-! Traumatising Yumeko?? Or anything??? That was the plan!” 

… I mean I wouldn’t say I was _traumatised_ , but I was kinda worried for a minute there. I shot a scowl over at the shrine maiden, and I’m pretty sure she saw me. 

“You didn’t know _my_ daughter had _basic magic.”_ Lady Shinki tapped her foot. She was not impressed either. 

“Ahhhh...” Hakurei mumbled. After a long, awkward pause, she pushed her head to the floor and yelped “I’M SORRY, I’M SORRY!! IT WAS ALL MY IDEA!!” 

Lady Shinki sighed deeply into her hand. “Hakurei, if you ever have kids of your own, I fear for their state of mind.” 

“Huuuggggghh...” Hakurei’s posture slumped even more pathetically into the ground, as if she were deflating. Sariel gave a stiff, sheepish smile and patted her on the back. 

“Right then, up you both get,” Lady Shinki practically tugged Hakurei to her feet and clapped. “I’ll give you both a bit of candy before I send you on your way. No complaints then, right?” 

“WE’LL TAKE IT,” Hakurei’s eyes lit up. 

“O-oh please, Shinki, Lady Shinki,” Sariel rubbed the back of her head, then elbowed Hakurei. “We couldn’t possibly impose after the trouble we’ve caused tonight. Let’s just go right home, honey?” 

“B-B-B-BUT-…" Hakurei clenched her fists and gazed puppy dog eyes at Shinki and Sariel. They both rolled their eyes and sighed loudly. 

At Lady Shinki’s order, the two troublemakers marched out into the hallway. Shinki told them she’d be out in a moment, and the door shut. 

She sat at the side of Alice’s bed, and hugged me. I hugged back, tight, and we both sighed deeply. 

“You okay?” Lady Shinki asked. 

“Yeah mom, I’m okay,” I replied. “I-I uh... I want to...” 

“Yes, sleep in Alice’s room tonight and keep her safe, won’t you?” she beamed brightly at me. 

A smile spread across my cheeks, and I nodded enthusiastically. “Great minds thing alike, right!?” 

“Right!” Lady Shinki said, booping my nose with her finger. “But make sure you drink some water before you go to sleep all right? Or you’ll have nightmares.” 

“Yes, Lady Shinki.” 

“And brush your teeth or you’ll get cavities, and don’t listen to scary stories on the radio too late either."

“Yes, Lady Shinki,” I repeated, giggling a little at her nagging. 

She chuckled with me for a moment. Then, she pecked the side of my head and got up. “Sleep tight, sweetie. Hopefully next year’s All Hallows’ Eve won’t be this eventful, hm?” 

I laughed again and shrugged, but I hoped she was right. “Night, mom,” I said with a little wave. 

After mom gave me a little wave in return, she walked out in the hallway. “So what _are_ you supposed to be dressed up as this year, anyway?” I heard her ask. 

“Uhhh, annoying vengeful spirit?” Hakurei’s voice replied. 

“Well you definitely played the part-…" mom said, followed by Sariel’s giggle, as their discussion trailed down the hallway. 

Finally... Peace. 

Calm. ORDER. That was enough All Hallows’ Eve for one year, I thought! 

I turned to smile sheepishly at Alice, who was still snoring so peacefully. I spotted a little smudge of chocolate on her cheek, and I smiled as I rubbed it off with a hanky. 

“I can’t believe you slept through all of that... I didn’t even _know_ I could still scream that loud,” I chuckled stiffly. 

It was so embarrassing to look back on... I still felt a little on-edge, too. But... talking to Alice made me feel a little better, even though she was fast asleep. 

I looked at her soft, comfortable sleeping face, and took a deep breath... 

“All right.” 

Nothing calmed me down like being useful, so I decided to clean up a little. I cleared the sweet and candy wrappers from Alice’s bed and threw them all in the trash. 

I knocked my knuckles on the radio gently, then picked it up and returned it to its cabinet. I plugged it in again and ever-so-quietly turned it on. 

It worked fine. Thank goodness. 

Then, I had a cool drink of water, brushed my teeth, and climbed back into bed next to Alice. 

I shut off the lights, laid down, and quietly faced her for a few moments.

Even though she snorted a little in her sleep, seeing her sleeping so happily always managed to help soothe my mood too. 

“I think I’m gonna give up on trying to fight mom every All Hallows’ Eve from now on, sister,” I said out loud, turning back onto my back. “I think having fun as a family on days like this is more important.” 

“Pluuuus...” I pouted. I looked towards the hallway doors, where the laughter of guests could still be distantly heard.

Even with the sounds of laughter from the castle, it was peaceful.

“... I think I’d much rather pick fights and play tricks on that Hakurei woman instead.” 

**Author's Note:**

> This year has taken a toll on me, that's for sure. Ever since I wrapped up "My Mother" a month or so ago, I was hit with a really bad feeling of burnout and exhaustion. But today, something weird happened. I got so irritated with fishing in Animal Crossing that I thought SCREW IT, I'm going to write a Halloween minific!!
> 
> So I did.
> 
> I've been wanting to write more of Yumeko and Shinki ever since I wrote "My Mother". I've definitely wanted to write more Sariel too, but her role this time is pretty small.
> 
> We also learn a little more about Reimu's mom in this one-shot. She was kind of a brat in the past, huh? I imagine her a little like Della Duck from DuckTales, but more extreme.
> 
> \------
> 
> Wanna know more about the characters and settings in this one-shot? That might mean you haven't read "My Mother" yet!  
> Definitely check it out, I'm really, really proud of it.
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/24609847


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